Theologizing on Dave Balter mini-essay in the “What Matters Now” project – “Dumb"

A long time ago, starting a company that made software for computers was dumb. Microsoft and Apple may beg to differ. A company that manufactured cars: dumb. Putting a college yearbook online: dumb. Limiting updates to just 140 characters: dumb.

Here's what's easy: to regonize a really smart new business concept as just that. What's hard is recognizing that the idea you think is just plain dumb is really tomorrow's huge breakthrough.

But what makes dumb, smart? The ability to look at the world through a different lens from everyone else. To ignore rules. To disregard the 'why's' and 'how's' and 'never-succeeded-befores'. Then you need conviction, and the ability to stand by that conviction when other (smart) people look at you in the eye and say, "no way, nuh uh."

So, how do you tell a good dumb idea from a bad dumb one? Good dumb ideas create polarization. Some people will get it immediately and shower it with praise and affection. Others will say it's ignorant and impossible and run for the hills. The fiercer the polarization, the smarter your dumb idea.

Of course, dumb can just be dumb. You just have to be smart to tell the difference.

This essay evoked in me a question as to why we in church leadership, generally, are afraid of the word polarization? Jesus polarized people - boy did he ever! Mother against daughter and brother against brother as the scripture goes. I want to share a quote from a favorite thinker of mine James Alison:

"Someone who begins to believe in the living God automatically begins to lose faith in the inevitability of things, in fate, in the sacredness of the social order, in inevitable progress, in horoscopes and so on, because the moment the imagination and emotional and mental structures begin to absorb what is meant by the vivaciousness of the Creator God who brings into being and sustains all things, all those other elements start to be revealed as part of a dead sacred order, as attributions of divinity and thus fixity, to things which are human, which are structured socially, culturally and economically, and are for that reason dependent upon human responsibility and potentially mutable through the exercise of that same responsibility."

Beyond being one of the longest constructed sentences in known existence, this quote speaks about the polarization the Gospel creates. The Gospel takes us on a process characterized by the collapse of certain sacred structures. Specifically, the Gospel leads us down a path that calls us to abandon anything which contributes to the sacrifice of others. The Gospel leads us down a road that calls into question ANYTHING that leads us to victimize anyone/anything. Which might even be something that we, at this point, would consider foundational to our religious tradition. It might lead us down the path of abandoning some traditional and popular understandings of why Jesus died.

Diabolic, Symbolic and Parabolic (revisited)

Back in October 30th, 2009 I shared a bit about Diabolic and Symbolic.

I am not sure where I read this but the author shared a bit about the word "parable". Here is a link to a basic etymology of the word parable.

As you can see from this etymology, parable literally means "a throwing beside," (from para- "alongside" + bole)

So we have "symbol" meaning 'that which is thrown together' and "diabolical' meaning 'that which is thrown across/through' and "parable" meaning 'that which is thrown alongside'.

What I find interesting here is that Jesus taught primarily through parables. It is my understanding that theology that Jesus was also one who lived a deeply symbolic life (throwing things together such as bread/body and wine/blood). As one who lived symbolically he taught in a way that was parabolic, that is he would throw things along side one another (such as our enemy is also our neighbor whom we are called to love not hate).

It is remarkable to me, and I am not really sure why to be honest, that there seems to be a connection here between the symbolic, diabolic and parabolic.

Perhaps the way to live a symbolic life, a life that brings things together, is first being willing to throw things along side one another and live parabolically.

But then again, I suppose one could throw things along side one another and still end up living a diabolic life, or a life that throws things apart. Perhaps parables are neither 'good' or 'bad' but a way in which leads us to a certain life. I don't know, as you can see I am not really formed on these thoughts just yet.

So I ask you, what do you think about these connections? Do you see any connection between symbolic, diabolic and parabolic? Does this connect with Jesus as you see it? What about our individual lives? What about life within a community?

Psalm 27 and Rene Girard

A couple Sundays ago I had the privilege to sit in on a class taught by the Revered Melissa Nichols. Melissa and I worked at Arlington Heights UMC together until her retirement, and yet I am not sure there was ever a chance for me to sit in and learn from her in a "teaching" situation. So this was a treat for me.

One of the things Melissa brought to the class was Psalm 27.

As the Psalm was read I could not but help but see the connections to the thinking of Rene Girard (one of my theological lenses I use and has been very formative for me). Here are some of the things that stuck me as I reflected on this Psalm in light of Girard.

The author might feel like the scapegoat to the adversaries that are encamped around him. Being in such a situation where the mob is against you and you are being accused, the accused turn to the Advocate/Paraclete/Redeemer God for salvation. Even if that mother and father forsake or turn against the scapegoat God will never stand against the scapegoat. Notice the adversaries and false witnesses are breathing violence which is in direct contrast the the breathing people of God are called to breath (I posted a bit about breathing here and here and here).

This should be developed later, but I wanted to get it down in order not to forget.